She instantly shook her head.
Staring deeply into her eyes then I said, with all the feeling I felt for her, "Then how, as the caretaker of your heart, do you think I could agree to something that would cause you hurt? You are my wife. My only wife. Understand?"
Tears were wetting the skin of my hand still caressing her face and I watched something fiercely passionate give birth in the stormy depths of her eyes. Her hands rose to hold mine and she pressed a kiss to the palm of my hand.
She spoke, "You are not a man as other men are! Truly I am blessed of women to be your wife! Benaiah……."
"Yes?" I softly prompted, as I stared at her in deep appreciation of her in every way.
"I love you and I'm so glad that I don't have to share you with anyone!" she said passionately, as she leaned toward me and I leaned toward her to complete the path of our lips meeting in the connection of a kiss that went far deeper than just the physical.
*****
Artaxis, who was riding behind the kissing couple, looked to the side at his young son who had been restored to him. The boy looked from the kissing couple to his father, who looked pained at a sudden realized knowledge. They'd both been overhearing the couple's conversation.
"Son……." Artaxis said, gesturing to Benaiah, "he is a better man to emulate in life than I am. You would do well to follow his example even as I will try to do the same."
The boy nodded and looked forward to the couple who were still kissing as their horses moved forward in synchronized unison. He grinned when his aunt's husband deepened the kiss by pulling his aunt from her saddle to sit before him on his horse. They were completely oblivious to everything going on around them.
The boy had never seen his aunt so happy before or a man so in control of another's joy. Perhaps his father was right, but would there be any woman such as his aunt around when he became of age to take a wife? He certainly hoped so.
*****
I cleared the last flight of steps that lead to my quarters. The peace between the two nations at war was firmly cemented and growing more so by the moment as the King's pursers counted the newfound wealth that had entered their storehouses.
Peace was what I had wanted, but I had the taste of bitterness in my mouth at how it had come about. Any true King of merit should have forgiven another realm of trespasses based on the grounds of how the nation of Crona had been forced to go to war.